September 11, 2006
MIM Ezine September 8, 2006
IN THIS ISSUE--
-- Starbucks Ice Cream, by Charles Marshall
-- Book Review – Leading with a Limp: Turning Your Struggles into Strengths, by Dan Allender, reviewed by Teena M. Stewart
-- Interview of Dan Allender, by Karen Patterson, Assoc Editor, Ministry in Motion
-- Smash for Cash: Sometimes it Pays to Destroy Things, by Teena Stewart
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Starbucks Ice Cream
The only reason I’m writing this is to get my wife off my back. Also because she might have a point. And because I love this particular subject matter as much as she does. Also because I have nothing else to do.
Maybe I should start at the beginning. Just after dinner one evening, my wife, in a move not terribly unlike Eve’s in the Garden of Eden, slipped up behind me and told me to close my eyes and open my mouth. Since she’s usually pretty trustworthy, I complied. What followed was a taste sensation I hitherto had not experienced. The origin of this delectable delight was Starbucks White Chocolate Latte ice cream.
There are certain moments you remember in life—your first kiss, your wedding day, the birth of your children, and your first taste of Starbucks White Chocolate Latte ice cream. The moment I tasted it, I was instantly transported to a happy place where all things are wonderful and time has no meaning. For me, it was kind of like being at Home Depot.
You’ve heard of some foods being sinfully good? If this particular ice cream had been around back in Moses’ time, there would have been eleven commandments instead of ten. I mean it.
Who knows? There may even be some untranslatable phrase in the Dead Sea Scrolls placed just after the Ten Commandments that goes, “Oh, and one more thing, Moses. Tell everyone to stay away from that Starbucks White Chocolate Latte ice cream. Ooowee, is that stuff good!”
Click here to read more of this article.
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Book Review – Leading with a Limp: Turning Your Struggles into Strengths
Dan Allender, PhD, 2006, Waterbrook, 206 pages, ISBN #1578569508
Reviewed by Teena M. Stewart
Leading with a Limp’s primary theme is that God chooses to work through broken leaders. We are often more damaged than whole and more insecure than secure. Many leaders find themselves leaders by default. God seeks out the flawed to lead. Though we may not have the official title “leader” if we are currently being sought out to give leadership or advice, we are indeed leaders. This knowledge alone is enough to make many of us want to crawl under a rock.
Dan Allender, author of Leading with a Limp and president of Mars Hill Graduate School, is a licensed therapist and popular speaker. Allender tells the story of how he, and several other scholars, decided to start a graduate school. In order for the school to be a licensed, accredited institute, they needed to choose a president. Allender was chosen by default, and like many true leaders, he stepped into power reluctantly. A leader of leaders, Allender found his position exhilarating, intimidating, and downright difficult. He’s had to deal with hiring, firing, disciplining, and making tough decisions regarding the future of the school. He has often felt incompetent in knowing how to proceed.
Along the way Allender learned to admit his shortcomings to himself and to those he leads and this experience led him to write the book. He gives leaders permission to recognize they too are imperfect and urges them to make the best of their situation as they work to lead others. Leading with a Limp provides inspiration and advice on how to become the leaders we were meant to be. Allender states, “To the degree you face and name and deal with your failures as a leader, to that same extent you will create an environment conducive to growing and retaining productive and committed colleagues.”
Allender shares many difficult leadership decisions he has been forced to make. The recurring theme is not only that we must work from our shortcomings, but that leadership is difficult. Leadership comes at a high cost. Leaders are often targets for criticism and hostile actions. The sooner we realize that, the better. We must count the cost. Because we want to appear to have it all together, the natural tendency for leaders is to hide any weaknesses and not talk about mistakes. Allender believes there are three primary reasons for this—fear, narcissism, and addiction. And he talks about these more in depth.
Some of the topics Allender covers in addition to the aforementioned include: handling betrayal, escaping isolation, dealing with exhaustion, facing crisis and more. If you are called upon to lead others, whether in an official position with title or whether you are simply sought ought by others, you should read this book. No doubt you will find this book both a comfort and an inspiration.
(Look for an interview with Dr. Allender in this same issue of MIM.)
Teena Stewart is a published writer, a ministry consultant and coach, and a product developer for Ministry in Motion. You can email her at smartwords@sbcglobal.net. To learn more about Teena, her writing, and consulting services, click here.
INTERVIEW WITH DAN ALLENDER, PhD
by Karen Patterson, Assoc Editor,
Ministry in Motion
Dr. Dan Allender is the president of Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle, and a professor of counseling and a therapist in private practice. He is the author of Leading with a Limp: Turning Your Struggles into Strengths (WaterBrook Press, 2006) as well as The Wounded Heart, To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Future, and How Children Raise Parents.
What is a limping leader?
In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul makes an extraordinary statement. He claims to be the chief of sinners. That verse in some ways is the pivot point of my entire book, Leading with a Limp, calling me to say we are to be an example of the mercy of Christ to whom we serve. A leader makes budgetary, personnel and strategic decisions, but there is a place for delegation and one’s own initiative.
My book is not an effort to supplant the excellent books out there, but I don’t hear anyone saying that our failure is indeed the prime value of our work in our ministry. There is a great deal of importance in authenticity and self-disclosure, even in failure. My book says my weakness is the tapestry to make clear and make known the glory and the greatness of God. That is the most basic understanding of 2 Corinthians 12 and other passages that say: it is in our weakness that he reveals his strength. The question then to a powerful leader is, “How do you let your weakness and failure be an example? How are your sin and failure the canvas on which the gospel is painted for his glory?
What are the five most common leadership challenges?
We surveyed 1,200 people in pastoral and corporate leadership and asked them questions such as: What are your core struggles in your work or ministry? And what do you find to be some of the hardships?
First, we found that crisis is inevitable. People are dealing with either too much, not enough, or not the right information. Most people feel they are drowning in complexity.
Second, crises inevitably brings greater complexity because we’re never prepared for crisis.
Third, in the context of the complexity of crisis, people are regularly betrayed. Trusted associates and people one has cared for, ministered to and supported in hard times stab you in the back. (David talks about the heart ache of betrayal in Psalm 55.)
Fourth, after many betrayals self-absorption and isolation results in loneliness. You cut yourself off from people around you resulting in a deep sense of loneliness. Often there is no contact among ministers, so to divulge to others the struggles going on in your ministry would be inappropriate. But the question is: who do you share with? So loneliness is a reality, but is also protection from being betrayed again.
Finally, all of these issues result in “workaholism” leading to exhaustion.
Click here to read more of this article.
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Smash for Cash: Sometimes it Pays to Destroy Things
Last weekend I participated in a fundraising event for our youth group. It was so much fun I thought I would share it with our readers. Churches often need extra cash. You can adapt this for whatever purpose or cause you choose.
Our church is in the middle of a building project and building anything in California is costly in both time and money. The cost of building a new building has escalated as we fight red tape and countless revisions to our building plans. The good news is we actually do have a new building now and will soon be able to relocate from the warehouse where our church currently is housed.
The bad news is the cost has increased so much that we keep slashing our budget. This means that the used modulars on our new property -- in addition to the new sanctuary --are not going to get all the new equipment and furnishings we had hoped for. Our staff is coming up with creative ways to raise additional funds. One fun idea youth director, Johnny Walsh arrived at was a car smash. He had this brainstorm one day when he and another staff member decided to smash up an old desk that was just taking up space in a back room. After a satisfying time of trashing and smashing the desk the other staff members observed, “You know. This is so much fun. I bet people would pay to smash things!” Never say things like that to a youth minister. It could be dangerous. Johnny’s wheels started turning and matters progressed (or should I say, digressed from there.)
Johnny pitched his idea of a car smash to some of his leaders and shortly after a mother of some of his youth group kids donated her old Volvo for the event. The group promoted the event with flyers including a picture of the car, date, and location where it would be smashed. They even managed to get front-page press from our local paper.
On the date of the event leaders were well prepared. Those participating in smashing had to sign a release form. Those under 18 needed a parent or guardian to sign for them. The youth group leaders also set up a table with photos and activities of youth group activities and programs plus other church programs for non-church people who might attend the event.
People paid $50 to smash a windshield or back window and $20 for each side window. For $10 you were allowed 1 minute of smash time. Someone recorded who paid for what.
Plenty of safety precautions were in place. Leaders set up saw horses and taped off the car with yellow caution tape. Only one person could smash at a time. They allowed no sandals or opened toed shoes. Participants wore coveralls and helmets with plastic face shields (such as hockey helmets.) Someone certified in CPR stood by, just in case.
Before the event and after the car was placed on the location, someone drained all of the car’s fluids: oil, gas, brake, etc.
Leaders also lined up a charity car drive donation organization to come and haul away the junked car after the event so there was not fee for towing.
The group raised approximately $450 and would have raised more had the smash site they had chosen been more visible and had they had a longer time to promote the event. (They only had about a week.) Click here to read more of this article.
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